NUMSA DEMANDS THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF MQAPHELI BONONO
12 May 2021

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) condemns in the strongest terms the arrest of Mqapheli Bonono the deputy president of Abahlali baseMjondolo (ABM), Bonono. On Tuesday 4 May he was arrested on an entirely trumped up charge of ‘conspiracy to murder’. This is clearly an attempt by the governing party to discredit and delegitimize the ABM. It is not a secret that the ABM is a thorn in the side of the ANC government for their independence, and also, their refusal to compromise on the demand for land, housing and dignity. The arrest of Bonono is the latest examples of the relentless attack which this government has unleased on the organization and its members. We align ourselves with the statement issued by the SRWP that “This is a straightforward attempt by the ruling party to misuse the state to attack and delegitimize a highly effective socialist militant organization, with outrageous accusations of criminality.” 

The movement has been subjected to repeated waves of repression and has lost a number of leaders to assassination, which forced it to operate underground for months at a time. In spite of this, it continues to grow and currently has more than 80 000 members and branches in five provinces. Abahlali baseMjondolo have routinely been subjected to evictions which have been illegally carried out by the eThekwini municipality. Since the lockdown began the movement has been subject to repeated armed attacks from Calvin and Family Security Services, a notoriously violent private security company acting on the instruction of the municipality. Live ammunition has been used during these attacks and a number of the movement’s members have been hospitalised with serious injuries. On each occasion people’s homes have been destroyed and the building materials burnt. In many instances people have also lost vital documents such as clinic cards, SASSA cards, school books and ID cards during the attacks.

We stand in solidarity with the landless peoples’ movement the ABM and we demand the immediate and unconditional release of Bonono. We welcome the messages of solidarity from the landless peoples’ movement in Brazil the MST, the Socialist Forum of Ghana and other progressive formations which are calling for their unconditional release.

Aluta continua!

The struggle continues!

Issued by Irvin Jim

NUMSA General Secretary

For more information, please contact:

Phakamile Hlubi-Majola

NUMSA National Spokesperson

0833767725

phakamileh@numsa.org.za